They have also kick-started an awareness campaign against eating water-bird meat as the threat of bird flu looms large because of the visit of migratory birds in the city.

According to Ashish Kumar Srivastav, City Wildlife Warden, the Wildlife Department officials conduct regular raids at Pallikkaranai, Avadi, Chembarambakkam, Tambaram and Neelangarai to prevent water-bird poaching.

These areas, with their proximity to water resources, attract migratory birds.

“We have received information about water-bird poaching in areas near Avadi. We had seized some dead night herons from Narikuravas (gypsies),” Srivastav told this website’s newspaper.

He said the officials had been instructed to conduct regular raids in areas prone to water-bird poaching.

“Though there have been no cases of bird flu reported in this part of the world, we cannot rule out the possibility entirely. This season, we have had a heavy inflow of migratory birds in the bird sanctuaries in and around the city.

“So, there is a chance of our resident birds contracting infection from the migratory birds and eating their meat can spread the infection to human beings,” Srivastav said.

His Department would start an awareness campaign to educate the public about the dangers of eating water-bird meat in this context.

“Moreover, killing water-birds is also a criminal offence,” he pointed out.

He also appealed that the NGOs should also take up this issue and create awareness among people. According to sources in the Forest Department, poaching of water birds has gone up this season as the city and suburbs had received a huge population of water-birds because of the excellent rains.

They said the bird meat had been sold in the local market.

“It is difficult to stop poaching of water-birds. Bird hunting has been considered as the traditional occupation of the Narikuravas and many find this as their only source of livelihood.

“It is difficult to stop them merely citing the law. However, an awareness campaign highlighting the dangers of the bird flu and chances of infection through consumption of water-bird meat can bring a change,” another official from the Department said.